High-resistance conductor and method of making the same



Sept. 2 1924. 1,506,852

M. MORRISON HIGH RESISTANCE CONDUCTOR AND METHOD oF MAKTNG THE SAME Filed April 27, 1922 INVENTOR MONTFORT) MORRISON ATTORNEY vTo all whom t may concern:

Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES MONTFOBD MORRISON,

OF NEW'YORK, N. Y.

HIGH-RESISTANCE CQN'DUCTOR AND METHOD 0]? MAKINI THE-SAM.

Application filed-April 27; 1922.

Be it known that I, MoNTroRo MORRISON, a citizen of the United States, and a residentl of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in High- Resistance Conductors and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel form of high-resistance conductor and a method of making the same. A

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a conductor of such vform and size that its resistance within a given ace may be made greater than that of e resistors now in use. A

Another object of the invention is the provision of a. novel method for depositing electrically conductive materiah A further object of the invention is the provision of a method whereby an elec-I i trically 'conductive material may be deposited in a predetermined configuration.

A still further object of the invention is Vthe provision of a high-resistance unit, the

properties of which will remain constant.

Other objects 'may be inferred from a reading of the following specition.

In makin high-resistance conductors, the resistance o which is rated in megohms, it has been proposed to deposit a metallic film on :the entire inner wall of a tube. The requisite thinness of the de it may thereby be attained but, in eiiect, t e conductor will lbe a broad band, the breadth of the band giving it a comparatively larg'egpross sec-A tion and, therefore, a comparatively high conductivity, which is contrary to the purpose. Y

According to my invention, a conductor of any degree of thinness and narrowness and, therefore, resistance may be produced. To this end, I form a resistor by depositing a film of material of lamentaryorm in a predetermined restricted path which may take the 'form of a helix or otherwise concentrated configuration adherent to the surface of a non- :onducting material.l It' is obvious that a conductor ofsuch form has a much higher resistance in a given space than resistorsl deposited over the entire inner surface of a tube.

In order to cause the particles of material to be deposited in the desired path, l employ, as an electrode, an element of the saine Serial No. 556,976.

- form as that which it is desired to deposit and place this in close proximity to, say within a few mms. of, the surface on which the material is t0 be deposited. I employ also high-tension, unidirectional current to cause electrostatic precipitation of the particles to be deposited.

A clearer understanding of my invention may be had by reading the following description taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus used for depositing the highresistance conductor; and,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the high-resistance unit mounted for use.

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a cylindrical body 3 of reraotoryinsulating material, the periphery of which is concentric with, and in close proximity to, the interior diameter of a cylindrical'e'nvelope 4 within which the cylinder 3 is suspended b 1 means of leadingin conductors 5 and 6 w 'ch are sealed into the Walls of the envelope 4 at 8 and 9, respectively, and embedded in the ends of the cylinder. 3.

A lament 11 of conducting material, 'auch for, example, as carbon, is wound into a helix arond the cylinder 3 and has its terminals secured to the leading-in conductors 5 and 6 at points 12 and 13, respectively. A

souroefof power 15 is connected to the leading-in' conductors 5 and 6 in order to heat the filament 11 to any desired temperature. The cylindrical envelope 4, which surrounds andencloses the cylinder 3 and the kfilament 11, consists of an insulating material, such as glass. The envelope 4 is preferably exhausted to avoid oxidation of the*- filament 11 when the latter is heated, after which an inert gas such, for example, as argon, maybe introduced and the envelope then sealed from the atmosphere.

Within the cylinder 4, in contactA with its interior wall, and prefer-abi partially embedded therein, are two -eading-in conductors 17 and 18 capable of makin an airtight seal with the envelope 4. T e lfunction of these leadi -in conductors will be hereinafter explain Surrounding at leasta portion of the envelope 4 and in contact' with the outer surface thereof is an electrode 20, the length of As soon as vaporization of the filament com- -ont ' material mences, the high tension existant betvveen-l the filament 11 and the electrode 2O directs the articles of vaporized carbon to points Ilie interior surface of the envelope 4 substantially opposite the points of the carbon filament l1 from which they proceed. The deposition of carbon inl this mannerlresults in a conducting lm of the same form or configuration as that ofthe filament 11. It will be appreciated that the conductivity ofthe deposited material will depend upon such factors asthe length, diameter, pitch,

circumference and temperature of the lilament 11, and the lenglt; of time during which the deposition ta place.

After accomplishing the `formation of the hi h-resistance element by deposition, the cy 'nder 3, the filament 11, and the leadingin conductors and 6 may be removed from the envelope 4 by breaking oli both ends of the tube fmafter which ,the ends of the latter may be sealed from the atmosphere to preclude contact with moisture, a variation in which is likely to change the conductivity of the high-resistance element.

Referring to Fig. 2, the deposited conductor is represented by kthe line 24, the ends of which are secured to the leading-in conductors 17 and 18 which are sealed into the ends of thetube 4 and secured, as by solderin to the terminals '25 and 26, respectively.

ile' I have herein described one embodiment of my invention and a method ot producing the seme, it is tc be understood that many modifications may `be made both in the article and the process but that it is desired to cover such of these modifications as come within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A high-resistance element comprisin a ilamentary body of electricaily conductive material. deposited upon a body of insulating material. y 2. A high-resistance element comprising a filamentary body of carbon deposited upon a body of insulating material,

3. A high-resistance element comprising a filamentai body of electrically conductive epcsited upon an insulating material and sealed from the atmosphere.

4f.. A high-resistance element comprising a -a filamentary body of carbon de means for vaporizin filamentary body of carbon deposited upon an insulating material and sealed-from the atmosphere.

5. A high-resistance conductor comprising a ilamentary body of conductive material deposited on an electrically insulating body according to a predetermined configuration. j

6. A high-resistance element consisting .of a filamentary body of conductive material deposited in a concentrated coniiguration on an electrically insulating-body and sealed. from the atmosphere.l f

7. A high-resistance .element consistin of a ilamentaryl body of carbon deposite in the form of'a coil on an electrically insulating body. Y

8. A high-resistance element consisting of ited in the form of a helix4 on an electrical y insulating body andsealed from the atmosphere.

9. A high-resistance device comprising an evacuated sealed envelope of insulating material and a body of conductive material of lilamentary form deposited within said envelope.

l0. A high resistance device comprising an evacuated sealed envelope of insulatin material and a body of conductive materia of ilamentary form deposited withinsaid envelope and leading-in conductors extendingrom the exterior to the interior of said envelope' and making contact with the ends of the deposited material.

l11. A high-resistance device comprising an evacuated sealed envelope OfMnOn-COD- ducting material and a lamentary body of carbon deposited on the interior surface of said. envelope and having a concentrated form.

12. A high-resistance Adevice comprising an evacuated sealed envelope of non-conducting material and a iilamentary body of carbon deposited in the Eorm of a helix on the interior surface of said envelope.

13. An apparatus for kforming a highresistance conductor comprising an exhausted envelope of insulating material, an electrode surrounding said envelope, means for charging said electrode to a positive potential, a `conductive lament Within said envelope in close proximity` toy the surface thereof, means for vaporizing said lfilament and means for charging the same toa negative potential. A

14. AnA apparatus for forming a high-resistancet conductor comprising an evacuated sealed envelope of insulating material, an electrode surrounding said envelope, a carbon filament Within said envelope in close proximity to the interior surface thereof, said carbon filament and a source of hig potential, the negative terminal of which is connected to said carbon ilarnent, the positive terminal beterial an ing connected to the electrode s'urrolmding said envelope.

15. The method of forming a high-resistance conductor which consists in partially vaporizin an electricall conductive maelectrostatic 4y depositin the result-in vapor on a non-conducti 16. e method of forming a va orizing a bod ofv refractory materi an electrostati Vy depositing the resulting vapor in a predetermined path on an electrically non-conducting material.

17. The lmethod of forming a high-resistance conductor which consists in vaporizi a conductive filament of predetermine form and electrostatically depositing the resulting vapor on' a body of insulating material.

`18. The method of forming a high-re sistance conductor which consists in vapo ri'zix a conductive filament of predetermm the vapor on a body-o insulatin material placed in close; proximity to sai filament. l

19. The method of forming ahigh-reh vy. sistance-conductor which consists in vapo- 8' 1'9" f sistance conductor whchconsists in partiell rizing electrically counductive material and electrostaticgl depositing the resulting vapor on a y of insulating material.

20. The method' ofl forming a highresistance conductor which consists in va,-

a carbon filament of predetermined orm in a vacuum and electrostatically deiting the result' vapor on a body of msulatmg material p aced in close proximity to said filament.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 25 day of April,

MONTFORD MORRISON.

form and electrostatically depositing v i 

